What Filipinos Can Learn From The Rise Of Modern Japan

Today is the beginning of the Reiwa Era and the first day of the month. One can welcome the new era by remembering how Modern Japan rose from the ashes of Imperial Japan as a lesson to the Philippines. Let's do a bit of review of basic Japanese history. The collapse of Imperial Japan was on September 2, 1945. Emperor Hirohito declared himself that he wasn't divine -- the very reason of shame for Imperial Japanese that caused massive suicide. The new era for Japan was born on 1947 -- two years after the collapse of Japan. The Meiji Constitution was given major changes in favor for the ever-evolving Constitution of Japan. It had its first on 1947 then it evolved to fit into modern times. The Japanese Monarchy is now but the symbolic as the National Diet (formal assembly) of Japan is the one that makes the powers.

How the Parliamentary system made Japan what it is today

The Japanese knew for one thing that systems do matter. The Japanese Parliament or National Diet of Japan can be contributed to the success of Modern Japan. So how did having the Japanese Parliament do its wonders? It's because the parliamentary system is not popularity or personality based. They decided to replace the Meiji Constitution with the more effective Japanese Constitution. The Imperial Diet was now replaced with the National Diet of Japan. Although it's a bicameral legislature but it's still effective due to one thing -- parliamentary systems demand performance. It's perform or perish! This causes Japanese politicians to be of better quality because the political system is of better quality.

The very idea that systems don't matter can be illustrated in this way. Japan uses an ever-evolving Japanese Constitution. The Philippines is still stuck with the 1987 Constitution -- never mind that there was also the 1899 Malolos Constitution, the 1935 Constitution and the 1973 Constitution. The Japanese Constitution is frequently up-to-date unlike the 1987 Constitution. Can you imagine still using Windows 95 when it's already 2019? The Philippines is stuck with the presidential system which allows anybody to win as long as they get majority or plurality votes. The parliamentary system demands performance-based leadership and a democracy that listens to both majority and minority. It's not singling out the minority as "subjective morons" and the majority as the "smart ones" but rather to give both sides a voice. Now that's a real democracy!

How foreign direct investment made Japan progressive

The other success was evolving the free trade policy since the Meiji era. It's stupid how the Yellowtards and Commietards continue to blame the Marcos Years but never look at the faults of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. While I don't extend to exonerate Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. but one can consider a bigger disaster hit Japan last 1945 -- it was the Hiroshima Bombing on August 6 of 1945! That was much bigger damage than what the Marcos years could've done. Ten years later we have a more progressive Japan. The secret which is no secret is in continuing free trade. I wonder did the Yellowtards and Commietards ever bother to realize that the Tokugawa era made Japan poor and the Meiji era made Japan rich again? It's because the Tokugawa era closed Japan to the rest of the world while Meiji era ended the long-term state protectionism.

So how did free trade make Japan more progressive in spite of very low devalued currency? Currency devaluation doesn't always mean bad because it can be attractive to investors for lower wage rates and it can help sell cheaper goods. Japan's economic policy of allowing free trade in the Modern Era caused it to rise up above the ashes of the destroyed and crumbled empire. The competition in Japan also brought in new ideas. The Japanese got involved in the electronics market. DVD technology (which was trying to improve the now obsolete LaserDisc into the much smaller and effective DVD) isn't purely Japanese even when it's a Japanese invention. Philips a Dutch company and Samsung a Korean company got involved with Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba. Japan has evolved several inventions from the West because of competition. All the free trade in Japan has caused the rise of the Japanese revolution -- hence giving us a lot of Japanese stuff to enjoy all thanks to competition.

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HAPPY DAWN OF THE REIWA ERA DAY!